To Kill a Mockingbird Flashcards

Flashcards about To Kill a Mockingbird

Who is Harper Lee?

An American author known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird.

When was To Kill a Mockingbird published?

1960

What themes are explored in To Kill a Mockingbird?

Racial injustice, moral integrity, and empathy

Who inspired the character of Atticus Finch?

Harper Lee's father, Amasa Coleman Lee

What other novel did Harper Lee publish?

Go Set a Watchman, in 2015

Chapter 1 of To Kill a Mockingbird describes Maycomb as…

A small, old town in Alabama with a slow pace and embedded traditions and prejudices.

Who are Scout, Jem, and Calpurnia?

Scout and Jem are the children of Atticus Finch, and Calpurnia is their Black housekeeper who helps raise them.

Who is Dill?

A young boy who visits Maycomb every summer and becomes friends with Scout and Jem.

Who is Arthur 'Boo' Radley?

A reclusive man who lives in the Radley house and is the subject of many rumors and stories.

From whose point of view is the story narrated?

Scout as an adult, looking back on her childhood.

Why is Scout looking forward to school?

She is curious and loves learning and wants to join Jem.

Why doesn’t Jem want anything to do with Scout at school?

He wants to establish his independence and not have his younger sister tagging along.

What challenges does Miss Caroline Fisher face as a teacher?

Her inexperience and strict adherence to her teaching methods make her struggle with the reality of Maycomb.

What is Calpurnia's role in the Finch household?

She is the Finch family's Black housekeeper and caretaker, acting as a mother figure to Scout and Jem.

Who is Walter Cunningham?

A classmate of Scout's from a poor but proud family.

What advice does Atticus give Scout about understanding people?

He tells her to 'climb into his skin and walk around in it,' meaning to see things from their perspective.

Who are the Ewells?

A deeply impoverished family with a bad reputation in Maycomb, considered dishonest and lawless.

What is Scout's opinion of current fashions in education?

She is critical, finding the new teaching methods dull and ineffective.

What are some superstitions about the Radley house?

The children believe the house is cursed and avoid touching it or even walking too close.

What is the game the children play about Boo Radley?

They act out the 'Radley family drama' based on the rumors they've heard.

What causes the laughter inside the Radley house that Scout hears?

Boo may be watching the children from inside and finds their curiosity amusing.

Describe Miss Maudie Atkinson.

A kind, open-minded neighbor of the Finch family who is more willing to question social norms.

How do the children view Miss Maudie?

They see her as a friend and confidante, an adult who respects them and treats them kindly.

What are Miss Maudie's insights about Boo Radley?

She says that Boo was always a polite, well-behaved boy when he was younger, and that most of the stories about him are exaggerated or untrue.

What is Dill's habit of telling 'biggest ones'?

He tells wild, exaggerated stories, likely for attention due to his unstable family life.

What is Atticus's reason for not playing the Boo Radley game?

He believes it's disrespectful and invasive to Boo's privacy and wants the children to practice empathy.

Describe Scout Finch.

The young narrator of the story around six years old, curious, intelligent, sensitive, and impulsive.

Describe Jem Finch.

Scout's older brother, around ten years old at the start of the story, protective of Scout, curious, adventurous, and becomes more aware of societal issues.

Describe Atticus Finch.

Scout and Jem’s father, a well-respected lawyer, characterized by his strong sense of justice and fairness, wise, patient, and thoughtful.

Describe Calpurnia.

The Finch family’s cook and caretaker, a stern but loving figure who helps discipline and raise Scout and Jem.

Describe Dill.

A friend of Scout and Jem’s who visits Maycomb in the summers, imaginative, often spinning tall tales, sensitive, and full of curiosity.

Describe Boo Radley.

An enigmatic, reclusive figure whom Scout, Jem, and Dill are fascinated and terrified by, revealing themes of prejudice and misunderstanding.

Why does Scout emphasize that they are Southerners and talk about Finch family history?

To provide context about Maycomb and to explain the deeply ingrained social structures in her town.

Describe Maycomb, Scout’s hometown.

A small, slow-moving town in Alabama, characterized by its hot climate, old buildings, and close-knit community.

Describe the Radley Place.

A gloomy, mysterious house with a yard full of unkempt vegetation, an ancient, decaying building that seems to repel people.

From whose point of view is the story told?

Scout Finch, both from her perspective as a young girl and occasionally with hindsight as an adult looking back.

Describe Miss Caroline.

Scout’s first-grade teacher, described as a young, inexperienced teacher from a more urban setting, struggles to connect with her students.

Describe Walter Cunningham.

A classmate of Scout’s from a poor but respectable family, holds to the Cunninghams’ values of pride and self-reliance.

Describe Burris Ewell.

He is from the Ewell family, showing no emotional attachment to school, mirrors his family’s disregard for social norms and values.

What does Jem explain to Scout at the beginning of Chapter 2?

That she shouldn’t bother him at school, as he wants to maintain his own reputation and independence.

What does Miss Caroline think of Scout’s reading and writing abilities?

She disapproves, telling her that her father should stop teaching her.

Why does Walter Cunningham lie about not having his lunch and refuse to borrow a quarter from Miss Caroline?

Because his family values self-reliance and doesn’t take anything they cannot repay.

What does Scout’s attempt at explaining the Cunninghams to Miss Caroline reveal about her character?

That she is perceptive, understanding social dynamics from a young age.

What does Atticus reveal about his character in his dealings with Mr. Cunningham, Walter’s Father?

He treats Mr. Cunningham with respect, accepting payment in the form of goods rather than cash.

What does Scout mean when she says about Walter,

…He’s Just a Cunningham?

Scout’s statement reflects her limited understanding of social class distinctions, has absorbed Maycomb’s class-based attitudes

: What Does Calpurnia’s Reaction to Scout’s Outburst at the Dinner Table Reveal About Her Position in the House?

Calpurnia scolds Scout for criticizing Walter’s eating habits, acting as a disciplinarian and moral guide

: What Does the Cooties Incident Reveal About the Ewells?

The Cooties Incident reveals the neglect and lack of cleanliness, as well as disregard for social norms, acting different from the other poor children like Walter Cunningham and Little Chuck Little

: What Laws Are the Ewells Allowed to Break?

The Ewells are allowed to break certain laws, because the townspeople view as hopelessly beyond help and better left alone

: What Does the Conversation Between Atticus and Scout at the End of the Chapter Reveal About Their Relationship?

Atticus's conversation with Scout demonstrates a close, understanding, and open relationship.

: What does Atticus Mean by

First of All,” He Said, “If You Can Learn a Simple Trick, Scout, You’ll Get Along a Lot Better with All Kinds of Folks. You Never Really Understand a Person Until You Consider Things from His Point of View… Until You Climb into His Skin and Walk Around in It,

This statement reveals his deep wisdom, open-mindedness, and demonstrates his respect for others

Describe Miss Maudie by the Details from the Book

A neighbor to the Finches, and a close friend to Scout, Jem, and Atticus. She loved gardening and spending time tending to her flowers.

Why Are Certain Things Allowed in Their “Ethical” Culture, but Money Is Different?

The idea of “finders keepers” applies to trinkets or simple items, as these are small discoveries with little value. But money signifies weath.

What Does Miss Maudie Reveal About Atticus When She Says, “Atticus Finch Is the Same in His House as He Is on the Public Streets” (61), and Why Is This a Compliment?

Reveals his integrity, consistent, genuine, and an honest man.

What does the children learn about Arthur “Boo” Radley from Miss Maudie?

Miss Maudie dismissing neighborhood rumors about Boo, so that Scout sees him as a human rather than mysterious figure.

What Does Atticus Do When He Finds Jem and Dill Trying to Give Boo Radley a Note Through the Shutters? Why Does He Act This Way?

When Atticus catches Jem and Dill, he firmly tells them explaining they should respect Boo's privacy. Atticus wants to teach the children empathy.

Childhood of Jean Louise (Scout) Finch's novel compared with Harper Lee Childhood

Similar: 1930s, Southern town, attorney father. Differences: Scout had close brother and friend, exposed to Tom Robinson's trial.

Harper Lee's early life

Grew up in a rural Southern Alabama town in the 1930s, with her father serving as an attorney in Alabama's state legislature, racial tensions from trials.

What do the first three paragraphs of To Kill A Mockingbird tell?

Relate to a disagreement about when the story actually begins. It sets up the theme perspective, as she mentions different viewpoints on where their family troubles started.

Why is the Finch family?

The Finch family has a reputation of respectability, partly because her father, Atticus, is a lawyer. The Finch family’s heritage and social status are important in understanding the dynamics between characters in the town.

What is the Radley familly?

Described as reclusive and mysterious because they do not interact with the rest of the community. Town gossip surrounds Boo, and people believe he may be dangerous or mentally unstable.

Chapter 1, Where does the novel take place?

Alabama

Chapter 1, What is Scout's father's job?

Lawyer

Chapter 1, Who tells the story?

Scout Finch

Chapter 1, What is Calpurnia?

Calpurnia is the Finch family's cook.

Chapter 2, What does Scout get in trouble for?

Scout gets in trouble for knowing how to read and write and explaining Walter Cunningham's situation.

Chapter 2, What are the Cunningham's like?

The Cunningham's are poor but proud; they do not take anything they cannot pay back.

Chapter 3, What does Scout and Jem do for Walter?

Scout fights him in the schoolyard, Jem invites him to eat home with them.

Chapter 3, Why can't Walter pass first grade?

He has to help famility with farming, so he misses school often.

Chapter 4 - What scared Miss Caroline?

A "cootie" (head louse)

Chapter 4 - first gift in hallow tree?

Two chewing gums

Chapter 5 - What has changed about Boo game?

re-enacting Boo's life adding details

Chapter 5 - What ordered does Atticus gives Jem and Scout

Stop tormenting Boo